Harvard and Radcliffe Crews, Alumni, Coaches Set to Compete at 49th Head of the Charles

Oct 17, 2013

The Head of the Charles Regatta attracts more than 300,000 visitors to the Boston and Cambridge area.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The world's most prominent and largest two-day rowing event will take place on the Charles River this weekend as rowers from across the globe travel to Boston for the 49th Head of the Charles Regatta. All four crews from Harvard and Radcliffe, as well as many alumni and coaches, will take part in the races.

About the Head of the Charles The Head of the Charles, which marks itself as the "ultimate two-day rowing competition," comes to the shores of Boston and Cambridge for the 49th time. Over 9,000 athletes, 300,000 spectators and 1,400 volunteers will take to the Charles River and its shores for the event. D'Arcy MacMahon, Howard McIntyre and Jack Vincent, all members of the Cambridge Boat Club, started the regatta in 1965 on the advice of former Harvard sculling instructor Ernest Arlett and since its inception, the Head of the Charles has seen consistent growth. The first event featured around 100 competitors and has grown to 55 events at this year's HOCR.

The Head of the Charles course starts at the Boston University Boathouse and runs approximately three miles upstream, past the Harvard University campus. The route goes under the combination of a railroad trestle bridge near BU, the BU bridge and five triple-arching bridges on its way to the finish line.

Navigating by Land The Head of the Charles provides shuttle buses that run a continuous loop around the course and parking areas. For more information, click here.

Live Webcasts For fans unable to make it to Cambridge, the Head of the Charles Regatta will offer a live webcast of the event. For more information, click here.

Championships Harvard and Radcliffe teams have won 42 HOCR championships, a number that does not include student-athletes, coaches and alumni racing as individuals or representing their clubs and countries.

Race

No.

Last

Men

34

Championship doubles

4

1984

Championship fours

4

1973

Championship eights

3

2012

Club fours

1

1973

Club eights

6

2010

Lightweight fours

5

1975

Lightweight eights

6

2013

Youth doubles

1

2005

Youth eights

4

1992

Women

8

Championship fours

2

1976

Championship eights

1

1973

Lightweight fours

1

2004

Lightweight eights

1

2013

Youth eights

3

1999

Last Year The Harvard lightweight crew captured its first win in the Head of the Charles lightweight eights event since 1975 and sixth overall victory in the race. Harvard's boat rowed the three-mile Charles River route in 14:35.71, well ahead of its closest competitor. USRowing, which placed second, was nearly 12 seconds off Harvard's pace and Princeton was a distant third in 14:58.24. The win propelled Harvard to the Point Trophy, given to the regatta's superior club, school, college or university.

Radcliffe won the lightweight eights race for the first time in the history of the regatta. It was Harvard's 42nd win in the history of the HOCR. Radcliffe knew it had the potential to fend off defending champion Wisconsin in this year's eights race and did just that to capture the title. The Black and White completed the three-mile course winding through Boston and Cambridge in 16:58.83 to best the Badgers by over two seconds.

The two wins were not Harvard's only impressive outings, as the eights from both heavyweight crews turned in solid efforts. The men's heavyweight crew was nipped by Washington to earn second place and the Radcliffe heavyweights placed seventh in a star-studded championship lineup.